An Offering To All

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Living in the world, rubbing shoulders with humanity daily, walking among lives of light and dark amongst insatiable appetites for the grays...How to live as a faithful witness of the Lord we serve, to whom we owe everything?

Sometimes, obedience calls us to take a stand and let the chips fall where they may. Other times, obedience calls us to "fish" for men...throwing out intriguing bait, waiting, reeling in a bit more...until it's time for "the catch" by the Holy Spirit. If we are like others in ways that do not compromise our purity before the Lord, but in ways that build rapport, let our lives be a living parable. Let our lives throw a curve ball around people's stereotypes of Christians. Let our lives diffuse others' defensiveness by offering authentic acceptance and understanding (and common ground where it exists). This would be a light to our path (and others') as we walk through this world on our way to our true Home.

My own restatement of I Corinthians 9:19-25 in light of these reflections:

For though I am free from all men

and technically don't have to take into account their views or reactions to mine,

I have chosen to make myself a slave to them all,

to serve them for Christ's sake,

that I might win all the more of them into His kingdom.

And to the anything-goes hippie types, I become as a hippie,

that I might win hippies;

to fundamentalists, I fit in with them as much as I can,

though I am not actually in bondage to legalism,

that I might win those who are

and lead them to freedom in grace;

to those who know only the religion of Christianity

and have no idea about a relationship with a living Lord,

I relate to them where they are at

so that I may awaken a thirst and knowledge of real truth and grace found in Christ.

To the weak, oppressed or immature,

I share with them any and all common ground

so that I may by all means bring some to salvation.

I do all this to spread the Good News

and in doing so I enjoy its blessings.

I am running THE race...

running to win,

not merely to say I ran in it.

With wisdom, self-control and humility

to meet others where they are on their spiritual journey,

I seek to strive towards my journey's end

where I shall take hold of the eternal prize that awaits me,

bringing alongside me as many as I can,

by God's grace.

Amen. May it be so.
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